As fighting rages in Ukraine’s east, the EU pledges more aid

Local resident Viacheslav walks on debris of a residential building damaged by a military attack, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Severodonetsk, Luhansk region, Ukraine [File: Serhii Nuzhnenko/Reuters]

The battles being fought in eastern Ukraine could determine the country’s fate, a defence ministry spokesman has said, as Russian forces were conducting an all-out assault to encircle Ukrainian troops in twin cities straddling the Siverskyi Donets River in eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian Defence Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said Russian forces had not given up attempts to cross the river.